India –
Arts & Music. Rajasthan. December. Extraordinary.
December: A music carnival where the fun never ended would perhaps be the best way to describe the first edition of Magnetic Fields, a brand new music and arts festival held from December 13-15 at the 17th century palace in the heritage village of Alsisar in Shekhawati, Rajasthan. Featuring some of the most popular names from the Indian music scene and a few handpicked international stars, the three-day Magnetic Fields saw some stellar sets and lots of dancing. But the fun wasn’t limited to just music. The festival was a sensorial delight: there were traditional Rajasthani delicacies for the gourmand, the locale of a Rajasthani palace to please the eyes and a general bonhomie to make everyone feel special, and at home. Highlights The true test of any music festival is the music and Magnetic Fields offered the discerning music fan the best. It introduced to music fans new-and-upcoming bands like Donn Bhat + Passenger Revelator and Until We Last as well as the sounds of international pioneers like Robot Koch and V.I.V.E.K, who undoubtedly played two of the best sets of the whole weekend. Koch, a much-acclaimed producer from Berlin, for many played THE set of the festival. A mellifluous set that meshed different genres with effortless ease, Koch showed just why he’s rated so highly. Playing in India for the first-time, V.I.V.E.K gave Indian music listeners a tantalizing glimpse of his brand of dubstep – percussive, deep and tribal. Shaa’ir + Func played a trademark high-energy set on Friday evening and set the tone for the festival. Peter Cat Recording Co were entertaining as always as were the Midival Punditz, who tested their new album in entirety for a very willing crowd. Heavily focused on folk music, the highlight of the set was a jugalbandhi between long-time Punditz collaborator Pandit Ajay Prasanna and Rajasthani percussionist Kutle Khan who charmed the audience with his flair and grin, and even had the locals assemble on the ramparts of the palace for a little peek.Shaa’ir + Func played an electric set on Day 1 of Magnetic Fields at Alsisar Mahal


